This invention relates generally to a pump and motor assembly for circulating a wash liquid in a dishwasher. More specifically, the invention relates to a pump and motor assembly having a food macerating device which causes food waste particles to be cut to a size such that they will be suspended in a rinse liquid and carried from the dishwasher during various initial rinse cycles. The food macerating device, in large measure, obviates the need for a fine screen or the like to filter the wash liquid.
One previous attempt at providing such a device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,434,671. This device proved to be complicated and difficult to assemble and, in addition, tended to cover an irregular pattern on the face of an associated grid-like grading element. Thus, under heavy food soil conditions, the macerating element was ineffectual in keeping the grading element from becoming obstructed. The present invention provides a full 360.degree. sweep across the grading element to prevent the food waste material from obstructing wash liquid flow. It further avoids the possibility that moving parts on particle cutting arms associated with the macerating assembly could, themselves, become jammed with food particles and thereby define an irregular pattern on the grading element. The macerating assembly of this invention is a simple, straightforward, inexpensively-constructed, and readily-maintained device which improves the efficiency of a macerating assembly in a dishwasher pump and motor assembly.